How to Choose the Best POS System for Your Business

It’s logical that the best POS system for business A probably won’t be the best POS system for business B. Restaurants need a POS system to help process food orders. Retail businesses need a system that can scan price tags and preset discounts.

So, how do you find the best POS system for your business?

Well, if your business is in the retail sector, or is a restaurant or bar, you’re in luck: we’ve compared POS providers for these sectors, so you don't have to. Read on to see who came out on top, or fill in this short form now to get custom quotes for your business.

Best for

About

Rating

Restaurants Quick service Bars

#1 customer-rated POS

Exclusive offer - save 31% on a brand new POS system

Save on card processing fees with payment integrations

★★★★★

Restaurants Quick service Bars

Award-winning restaurant POS

Free 24/7/365 support and personal customer success team

Free regular software updates

★★★★★

Retail Quick service

#1 POS for retail and quick service

Lowest integrated payment processing rates

Free 24/7 customer care via phone and chat

★★★★★

RestaurantsBars

#1 iPad POS system

300+ features including menu and layout customization

0% financing

★★★★★

Best POS for Restaurants

1. Nobly

You can use the Nobly POS system software on an iPad, and Nobly claim you can train staff in minutes. Their software also won’t crash when you’re busy. These are bold claims, but can Nobly back them up? With an impressive Trustpilot rating of 8.9/10, it would seem so.

Supplier Rating: ★★★★★

2. TouchBistro

TouchBistro doesn’t just promise a reliable restaurant POS system - it promises to make you more money. How? By helping you turn tables faster, and by prompting the server with items to upsell at just the right time. That’s why TouchBistro was the top rated restaurant POS system in both 2017 and 2018.

Best POS for Retail

1. ShopKeep

ShopKeep have the POS hardware to support all kinds of retail businesses, but iPads are where they really excel. In fact, ShopKeep is the number one iPad POS on the App Store. The advantages of an iPad POS system for pop-up shops and market stalls are obvious. But permanent shops are also finding favour with iPad systems thanks to their sleek aesthetic and intuitive design.

Supplier Rating: ★★★★★

2. Lavu

Lavu champions simplicity. Their system uses images and a smartphone-style setup in order to feel familiar to employees; they can get up and running with the Lavu system in no time at all.

Supplier Rating: ★★★★★

3. Vend

If you want your POS to be more than a POS, Vend might be for you. It can report on inventory and sales targets, or just give you an ‘at a glance’ overview of the day. You can even create your own custom reports. Plus, Vend can integrate with your online site so you have everything in one place (although some customers complain this is a little glitchy).

Best POS for Bars

1. Lightspeed

If you’ve ever tried to serve drinks in a crowded bar, you’ll understand why speed matters when it comes to a bar’s POS system. Thankfully, Lightspeed POS lives up to its name. And if you do run into any problems, they offer 24/7 support and a dedicated phone line.

Supplier Rating: ★★★★★

Nobly and TouchBistro (see above) also make great choices for bars. They’re speedy and reliable - exactly what you need.

Next steps

This article has provided you with a key overview of the top POS systems for restaurants, retail and bars. But each business has unique needs that make it hard to recommend just one option. That's why it's always best to compare quotes using your business' specific criteria to find the best match for you. Fill in this short form now to get yours.